Libraries

The last few weekends we have had beautiful weather. In this time we have

1. Planted a row of arborvitae to provide privacy to the patio and something to look at out our dining room window besides our neighbor's drying laundry.
2. Raised up the flower bed under the living room window to help define it and tidy the front of the house.
3. Put in a flagstone walk from the street to the front door so guests don't have to squeeze around our car in the narrow driveway.
4. Added one 4'x8' raised bed to our garden, along with a 1.5'x8' bed for growing cucumbers. I planted a few starts, but still need to get some seeds into the ground this year. 

My amazing husband toiled long and hard chopping up and moving sod for each of these projects.  I am so blessed!

As a treat last weekend, we walked downtown to the public library. I had a library card when I was a child, but haven't darkened the door of a public library in years.  I don't think I considered it enough of a priority to mess with it.  But lately, I've had a desire to be more intentional about the things I purchase.  I've also been interested in finding more healthy meal ideas for us to add to our menu. So, for a fun, free afternoon outing, my husband and I hiked down to the library and signed up for library cards. 

We found two recipe books that looked like they might have some options for us to try.  My menu for the week includes a few of the items from the books, including a tofu rice pudding.  I made it last night to eat this morning with breakfast. It was light and sweet and made a nice addition to the meal of English muffins and strawberry-banana fruit salad.

I also found a book on compact home solutions that intrigued me.  I love looking at house plans and decorating magazines, books, and blogs and daydreaming about ideas. It really makes me want to live in a loft apartment... but then, I also really want to move out and have a cute little home with little bit of property to grow veggies and a few fruit trees. We'll just have to see what happens when the time comes.

We looked for a few other books that the library didn't have.  We may be able to request them, but I'm not sure how to do that yet.  I am excited, though. I can see trips to the library becoming a regular weekend adventure.  At the very least, we will need to go again in about 2 1/2 weeks when our books are due!